

Will the proposed timeline work for you? Those on tight timelines or rushes may want to consider FTL.Is your shipment less than 10,000 pounds? If it’s less than 10,000 pounds, LTL may be the more cost-effective way to go.If you’re in the process of choosing between FTL vs LTL service, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to discover which method may be more ideal:: Questions to Ask When Considering LTL vs FTL Service You do not want to end up paying for more trailer space than is necessary. This is what makes a choice between FTL and LTL crucial. This means that even if your goods do not take up all the space in the trailer, you will pay to move the entire truckload to its destination. With FTL, you are paying to move the entire truckload, regardless of the size of your shipment. You only pay for the space that you fill. You are able to share the cost of moving your goods across the country because you are sharing the space within the trailer with other businesses. The cost of shipping your freight is significantly lower if you are shipping smaller, lighter loads with LTL. This minimizes the risk of damage and theft.

Employees from other companies are not moving the loads from one truck to another, and the trailers are not opened along the way. Less-Than-Truckload vs Full-Truckload Service: Handlingįor delicate or high-risk shipments, FTL may be preferable due to the fact that it could be your employees who load and unload the goods on both ends. Also, your goods may be transferred to one or more other trailers along with the way from your business to its final destination. LTL shipments often require multiple stops to load and unload goods from other businesses. With LTL service, you are not in charge of the timeline because other businesses must provide part of the load. By staying on the same truck from start to finish, your goods reach their destination quicker. Your business is control of the timeline from start to finish. With FTL, because you are filling the entire trailer, it can be picked up when you desire and move directly to its final destination. If time is of the essence, shipping FTL wins hands-down. These shipments do not have to be combined with loads from any other business, which does provide some advantages as outlined below. These loads often weigh more than 10,000 pounds. In contrast, FTL shipments are larger loads that will completely fill a trailer. These smaller shipments will not fill a trailer, and thus can be combined with other smaller loads to fill the entire trailer.

LTL shipments are smaller loads ranging from 100 to 10,000 pounds. The primary difference between LTL and FTL is the size of the shipments. These differences primarily involve size, time, handling, and cost. Exploring LTL vs FTL ServiceĪlthough LTL vs FTL service both aim to ship your goods or products to a desired location in a cost-efficient manner, these two methods have distinct differences. Utilizing FTL service, a business’s goods are the only goods in the trailer, which means you will need to pay the entire cost of moving the goods from one location to another. Most importantly, these loads will fill an entire trailer. On the other hand, FTL services are for loads that are larger - typically ranging over 10,000 lbs. With LTL service, each business fills a portion of a trailer along with other shippers, thus splitting the cost of moving the goods. While the actual weight can vary, the most defining feature of LTL loads is that they do not occupy the entire trailer. Less than truckload (LTL) service is a method of transport for partial or smaller loads of between 100 lbs. In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at FTL vs LTL service, how each method calculates cost, and other relevant information. We’ll listen closely to your needs, budgets, and goals to guide you to the shipping option best suited to check all of your boxes.ĭon’t hesitate to reach out to the team at OnTrack for fast, affordable, and tailored freight solutions. We offer decades of experience matching our customers unique shipping needs to the best, most cost-effective solution. In either case, the team at OnTrack Freight Systems can and will help. While each shipping option is relatively obvious by its name, do you know when it’s best to choose LTL vs FTL service? If you have freight to ship regularly, you’ve more than likely heard about less-than-truckload (LTL) and full-truckload shipping options.
